Unlocking commercial value for a global TravelTech leader
HBX Group
Brand Global Strategy
HBX Group, formerly known as Hotelbeds, is a leading B2B ecosystem player in the TravelTech space.
After years of growth and acquisitions, HBX Group had many brands but no clear understanding of how they fit together or where the real value was.
This led to customer confusion about who they were buying from, and internally, there was no clarity traon who was managing what. Cross-selling and upselling between brands were ineffective, and it was unclear which brands best supported the company’s TravelTech positioning.
They needed a flexible, customer-centric brand strategy that aligned with their business goals, highlighted their strongest brands, and allowed room for new propositions.
Output
Simplified brand portfolio with clear architecture, making it easier for customers to navigate and purchase, opening new commercial opportunities.
New organisational structure that supports HBX Group’s transformation into an ecosystem player.
United behind a shared vision and signalled a fresh start with the new name and positioning
Improved investor and market appeal by surfacing the group’s most valuable brands, focusing brand-building efforts to maximise equity and ROI.
Insight
An in-depth analysis of the brand portfolio – through internal interviews, workshops, customer surveys, and competitor analysis – revealed several important insights:
- Many ‘brands’ were just names and logos with no distinct qualities or attributes. They operated independently and had no real connection other than being part of the same company.
- Awareness of both product brands and the overall TravelTech positioning was low, and the group was still seen primarily as a bedbank.
- Internal confusion around the brands made selling complex and led to missed opportunities for cross-selling and upselling.
Action
Since many of the brands had little value and were holding back growth, we recommended streamlining the portfolio. Nine brands were phased out, with their capabilities absorbed by the four leading brands, reducing the total number of brands from 18 to 9. We also introduced a clear brand architecture and hierarchy, making it easier to add new brands and propositions in the future.
To support the company’s goal of becoming a TravelTech ecosystem and moving away from its bedbank image, we created HBX Group – a new group brand to unify the remaining brands. The new name retained some heritage from the Hotelbeds name while distancing itself from bedbank affiliations. We introduced an endorsement strategy to connect the brands under the new group identity, creating a cohesive entity stronger than the individual parts.
In addition, we also developed new positioning for both the group and its four commercial brands.
“Earnest's expertise on B2B Brand Management is second to none. Their strategic thinking, methodology, and expertise combined with a fantastic and open collaboration has made this project a great success.”
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